Making an Ethical Decision

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics

Disclaimer

This app has been created to help users ask good questions about ethical choices. The information contained in this app/website is provided by the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University for general information purposes only. We make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability of the app/website or the information, services, or related graphics contained on the app/website. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.

In no event will we be liable for any loss or damage arising out of, or in connection with, the use of this website/app.

Through this website/app you may be able to link to other websites that are not under the control of Santa Clara University; we have no control over the content and availability of those sites. The inclusion of any links does not necessarily imply a recommendation or endorse the views expressed within them.

Santa Clara University takes no responsibility for, and will not be liable for, the app/website being temporarily unavailable due to technical issues.

Using this app

This app takes you through a step by step decision-making process that allows you to consider your options using five approaches from the ethical tradition. After gathering the important facts, you will analyze each option from the point of view of utility, rights, justice, the common good, and virtue.

For each perspective, you will score your potential action on a scale. Then you will weight the ethical perspectives based on their relevance to your decision, and get a cumulative score for that potential option. You should go through the same process for several possible options as you consider which action to take.

Get the Facts

What are the relevant facts of the case? What facts are not known? Do I know enough to make a decision?

Which individuals and groups have an important stake in the outcome?

* Input in this box will be deleted when the app is closed.

With the facts and the stakeholders in mind, choose an option that you think might be the best thing to do in this circumstance. Now, evaluate that option from five different ethics perspectives. For each, drag the slider on the scale to indicate how ethical you think your choice would be from that perspective.